Flow regulating device



Oct. 13, 1953 E. w. BAGNELL FLOW REGULATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 4. 1951 I N V EN TOR. fame dd. 846N514 E. W. BAGNELL FLOWREGULATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1951 INVENTOR in:min/via Ami/vim Patented Oct. 13, 1953 FLOW REGULATIN G DEVICE Edgar W.Bagnell, Glendale, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to JohnstonTesters, Inc.',

Houston,

Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application September 4, 1951, SerialNo. 244,922

This invention relates to an oil well tool and particularly to a flowregulator device adapted to be incorporated in a drill string or thelike.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an improved flowregulator device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flow regulatordevice adapted to be incorporated in a formation tester to retard theflow of formation fluid upwardly through the formation tester, whenmaking a test, to avoid the harmful effects of uncontrolled andunregulated flow, well known to those skilled in the art.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide a flowregulator device having a tubular housing within which is disposed afloating piston closing the housing at one end, and which housing has aknockout valve closing its opposite end adapted to be knocked out by thepiston when the piston is forced toward the knockout valve by thepressure of the formation fluid. 1

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a, formation tester having the flow regulator device ofthepresent invention incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the flow regulatordevice and showing the parts in the positions they assume when theformation tester is run into the well.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the floating piston ashaving been moved into engagement with the knockout valve.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing a further stage in theoperation of the device, particularly showing the knockout valve ashaving been knocked out and the valve in the piston as being open.

The particular embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawingswill be described as being incorporated in a standard formation testerof the type set out in the patent to M. O. Johnston-- 2,073,107, grantedMarch 9, 1937. However, the invention is not intended to be limited bythis description which is only intended to show a practical applicationof the flow regulator device of the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, Fig. 1 shows a formationtester connected to the lower end of a drill string 9, the formationtester including a trip valve assembly II, a flow regulator device em-Claims (01. 166-1) bodying the concepts of the present inventiongenerally entitled l3, a retaining valve assembly 15, an equalizer valveassembly ll, and a packer 19. Below the packer I 9 is an anchor 2| intowhich the formation fluid flows into the formation tester. Packer I9 iseffective, when seated in the well bore, to close off the well bore sothat the selected formation zone is isolated and separated from thespace above the packer. The formation tester will be normally operatedas follows. The formation tester, with the equalizer valve open, is runinto the well and the packer l9 set to seal off the formation zone fromthe space above the packer and thereafter the equalizer valve is firstclosed and then the retaining and trip valves are opened to allow theformation fluid to flow upwardly and be eifective against the flowregulator device l3. The flow regulator -device l3 retards the flow ofthe formation fluid which may be under considerable pressure andtherefore the harmful effects of uncontrolled and unretarded flowingfluid is avoided. The trip valve II is then tripped by dropping ago-devil down the drill string to allow formation fluid to flow upwardlyinto the drill string.

The flow regulator device l3, which is best disclosed in Figs. 2, 3 and4, comprises a housing generally entitled 23 composed of a tubularhousing member 25 threadedly connected at its upper end to the lower endof sub 21. In general terms, the flow regulator device includes aknockout valve assembly, generally entitled 29, closing housing 23adjacent the upper end thereof and a floating piston assembly 3! closinghousing 23 adjacent the lower end thereof. The space between theknockout valve assembly 29 and, the floating piston assembly 3| isfilled with a suitable fluid such as water or the like 33 through anopening 35 closed .by a pipe plug 31.

The knockout valve assembly 29 includes an orifice or bleed passagewayto be described more in detail hereinafter to permit fluid 33 to beslowly forced through the knockout valve assembly when the floatingpiston assembly is forced toward the knockout valve assembly 29 underthe influence of formation fluid pressure made effective thereagainst byopening of the trip valve. Such slow leakage of fluid obviously retardsthe movement of the piston and therefore retards the flow of theformation fluid. As will be explained hereinafter, after contact of thefloating piston assembly with the knockout valve assembly, a moregenerous but still restricted passage is provided for the upward flow offormation fluid through the knockout valve assembly.

More in particular, the knockout valve assembly 29 comprises a nipple 4|threadedly received within the lower end of sub 21 and having a centralbore within which is received a hollow knockout valve 43 which has anexternal diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of thecentral bore of nipple 4| to provide a bleed passageway between theknockout valve 43 and the nipple 4|.

The knockout valve 43 is releasably held in closed position, theposition shown in Fig. 2, by a plurality of balls 45 receivable withinopenings 41 provided in the walls of valve 43 and within an annulargroove 43 provided around the central bore of nipple 4|. Balls 45 are ofsuch dimensions that they protrude inwardly beyond the central bore ofvalve 43 to serve to retain and suspend a spring-loaded plug 5f withinvalve 43. Spring-loaded plug 5| is urged downward ly by a compressionspring 53 and has an enlarged end 55 fitting the bore of valve 43 andengaging the inwardly protruding portions of balls 45, whereby thespring loaded plug is prevented from being forced out of the knockoutvalve 43 under the influence of spring 53..

Plug 5| has an annular groove 51 therearound to receive balls 55 whenthe plug is. forced upwardly and therefore unlock. the valve 43 from thenipple 4| and allow the valve to be knocked out of the nipple and tothereby clear the nipple for the passage of fluid therethrough.

In order to permit assemblage of the knockout valve assembly 29, theplug 5| is provided with a threaded bore 6 i to enable a pullout tool tobe inserted into the plug. When the knockout valve assembly is beinginitially assembled, the balls 45 are positioned within the annulargroove 57 to allow the plug and balls to be moved into the nipple 4| andto register the balls with the annular groove 49 on nipple 4|.Thereafter, through the medium of :the pull-out tool, plug 5| is pulledoutwardly to cam the balls into the annular groove 43, the balls aspreviously mentioned still protruding slightly inwardly of the centralbore of the valve 43 to retain the knockout plug against completewithdrawal movement from the valve.

The floating piston assembly 3| includes a floating piston 63 having 0rings 65 thereabouts disposed in sealing engagement with the interior oftubular housing member 25 to prevent the leakage of fluid past theexterior of the piston 63. Piston B3 is centrally bored to receive apiston valve 61 which in turn is provided with a central bore 39 andradial ports H to permit passage of fluid through the floating pistonwhen the valve is moved downwardly to project the lower end of valve 6!beyond the lower end of the floating piston and expose radial ports H.

Piston valve 51 on the exterior thereof carries 0 rings 1 3 disposed insealing engagement with the interior of floating piston 63 to preventthe passage of fluid through the floating piston until the valve ismoved to an open position.

As shown in Fig. 2, the piston valve 61 is urged to closed position by acompression spring disposed between piston 63 and a flange 11 formed onthe upper end of piston valve 61, said piston valve being limited in itsupward movement by a cap I9 secured to the lower end of the piston valveby a screw 8| or equivalent means.

Above the knockout valve assembly :there is preferably provided a flowbean valve 83 threadedly received by a sub 85 and having a centralrestricted passageway 8'! through which fluid is adapted to flow in aregulated. manner. Th

4 space between the trip valve H and the knockout valve assembly 29 isfilled with a fluid 89 through an aperture 9| closed by a pipe plug 93.

The operation of the device is as follows: After the packer l9 has beenset, retaining valve |5 and trip valve H are opened and the formationfluid entering anchor 2| flows up into the formaltion tester, throughthe retaining valve |5 to the flow regulator device l3. Prior to theopening of retaining valve I5, it is obvious that the floating pistonassembly 3| will remain in its lower position adjacent the lower end ofhousing 23. When subjected to :the pressure of the formation fluid,however, the floating piston assembly 3|, having its piston valve 6!closed, moves upwardly under the influence of the formation fluidpressure thereby forcing the fluid 33 between .the floating pistonassembly 3| and the knockout valve assembly 29 through the orifice orbleed passageway 3|l between the valve 43 and the nipple 4|. Thisobviously results in a relatively slow upward movement of floatingpiston assembly 3|.

When the floating piston has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 3,valve El will strike the spring loaded plug 5|, moving the plugupwardly, compressing spring 53, spring 15 being stronger than spring53', to register the annular groove 51 in spring loaded plug 43 withballs 45, balls 45 moving into the annular groove and thereforereleasing knockout valve 43. The continued upward force of the floatingpiston assembly 3| serves to knock out valve 43 as shown in Fig. 4.

As is obvious from Fig. 2, the piston valve 61 protrudes beyond theupper end of the floating piston 53'. Therefore, upon continued furtherupward movement of the piston assembly 3|, valve 67 is moved downwardlyby its engagement with the arrested plug 5|, compressing spring 15' andcausing the lower end of piston valve 6'! to project below piston 63 toexpose ports H, therefore opening the valve. The ports -H are somewhatof a restricted nature so that uncontrolled and unregulated flow of theformation fluid is still not allowed but a substantial flow ispermitted.

The flow bean valve 83 additionally serves to ii'ietard, control andregulate the upward flow of By the present invention, it will beappreciated that a flow regulator device has been provided wherein theaccurate control and regulation of fluid and/or gas under pressure canbe achieved.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in its construction by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. An oil well regulator device, comprising a tubular housing adapted tobe incorporated in a supporting string of pipe or the like, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction along the housing, and means carried by thehousing spaced from said piston means in said one direction, closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve openable upon engagement of thepiston means and said second named means to allow free flow of fluidthrough said second named means, said piston means including a valveopenable upon engagement between said piston means and said second namedmeans to allow free flow of fluid through said piston means.

2. An oil well regulator device, comprising a tubular housing adapted tobe incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, or the like, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction along the housing, and means carried by thehousing spaced from said piston means in said one direction, closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve openable upon engagement of thepistonmeans and said second named means toallow free flow of fluidthrough said second named means, a restricted passageway communicatingwith the space between the piston means and the second named meanspermitting the slow escape of fluid from said space during movement ofthe piston means toward second said means to retard movement of saidpiston means, said piston means including a valve openable uponengagement between the piston means and said second named means to allowfree flow of fluid through said piston means.

3. An oil well regulator device, comprising a tubular housing adapted tobe incorporated in a supporting string of pipe or the like, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction along the housing, and means carried by thehousing spaced from said piston means in said one direction, closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve openable upon engagement of thepiston means and said second named means toallow free flow of fluidthrough said second named means, a body of liquid in the space betweenthe piston means and said second named means, a restricted passagewaycommunicating with said space permitting the slow escape of liquidtherefrom during movement of the piston means toward said second namedmeans, said piston means including a valve openable upon engagementbetween said piston means and said second named means to allow free flowof fluid through said piston means.

4. An oil well regulator device, comprising a tubular housing adapted tobe incorporated in a supporting string of pipe or the like, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction along the housing, and means carried by thehousing spaced from said piston means in said one direction, closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve openable upon engagement of thepiston means and said second named means to allow free flow of fluidthrough said second named means, a restricted passage way through saidsecond named means permitting the slow escape of fluid from the spacebetween the piston means and said second named means during the movementof the piston means,

said piston means including a valve openable upon engagement between thepiston means and said second means to allow free flow of fluid throughsaid piston means.

5. An oil well regulator device, comprising a tubular housing adapted tobe incorporated in a supporting string of pipe or the like, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction along the housing, and means carried by the 6housing spaced from said piston means in said one direction, closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve openable upon engagement of thepiston means and said second named means to allow free flow of fluidthrough said second named means, a body of liquid in the space betweensaid piston means and said second named means, a restricted passagewaythrough said second named means permitting the slow escape of liquidfrom said space during movement of the piston means toward the secondnamed means to retard movement of said piston means, said piston meansincluding a valve openable upon engagement between the piston means andsaid second named means to allow the free flow of fluid through saidpiston means.

6. An oil well flowregulator device, comprising a tubular housingadapted to be incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforcedin one direction therealong, and means carried by said housing,spaced from said piston means in one direction, and closing the interiorof the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby, thesecond named means including a valve arranged to engage the piston meansupon engagement between the piston means and said second named means andopenable upon its engagement with said piston means to allow the freeflow of fluid through said second named' means, said piston meansincluding a valve arranged to be engaged by the second named means uponengagement between the piston means and said second named means andopenable upon its engagement with said second named means to allow thefree flow of fluid through said piston means.

7. An oil well flow regulator device, comprising a tubular housingadapted to be incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction therealong, and means carried by said housing,spaced from said piston means in said one direction, and closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve arranged to engage the pistonmeans upon engagement between the piston means and said second namedmeans and openable upon its engagement with said piston means to allowthe free flow of fluid through said second named means, a restrictedpassageway communicating with the space between the piston means and thesecond named means permitting the slow escape of fluid from said spaceduring movement of the piston means toward the second named means toretard movement or the piston means, said piston means including a valvearranged to engage the second named means upon engagement between thepiston means and the second named means and openable upon its engagementwith the second named means to allow the free flow of fluid through saidpiston means.

8. An oil well flow regulator device, comprising a tubular housingadapted to be incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction therealong, and means carried by said housing,spaced from said piston means in said one direction, and closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage 01 fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve arranged to engage the pistonmeans upon engagement between the pis ton means and said second namedmeans and openable upon its engagement with said piston means to allowthe free flow of fluid through said second named means, a body of liquidin the space between said piston means and said second named means, arestricted passageway communicating with said space permitting the slowescape of the liquid therefrom during movement of the piston meanstoward the second named means to retard movement of the piston means,said piston means including a valve arranged to engage the second namedmeans upon engagement between the piston means and the second namedmeans and openable by its engagement with said second named means toallow free flow of fluid through said piston means.

9. An oil well flowregulator device, comprising a tubular housingadapted to be incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, 9. floatingpiston means slid-ably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in, one direction therealong, and means carried by said housing,spaced from said piston means in said one direction, and closing theinterior of the housing at its location to the passage of fluid thereby,the second named means including a valve arranged to engage the pistonmeans upon engagement between the piston means and said second namedmeans and openable upon its engagement with said piston means to allowthe free flow of fluid through said second named means, a restrictedpassageway through said second named means permitting the slow escape offluid from the space between the piston means and said second namedmeans during movement of the piston means toward the second named meansto retard movement of the piston means, said piston means including avalve arranged to engage the second named means upon engagement betweenthe piston means and the second named means and openable by itsengagement with the second named means to allow free flow of fluidthrough. said piston means.

10. An oil well flow regulator device, comprising a tubular housingadapted to be incorporated in a supporting string of pipe, a floatingpiston means slidably mounted within said housing and adapted to beforced in one direction therealong, and means caried by said housing,spaced from said piston means in said one direction, and closing theinterior or the housing at its location to the passage of fluid therebythe second named means including a valve arranged to engage the pistonmeans upon engagement between the piston means and said second namedmeans and openable upon its engagement with said piston means to allowthe free flow oi fluid through said second named means. a body or liquidin the space between the piston means and said second named means, arestricted passageway through said second named means permitting theslow escape of liquid from said space during movement of the pistonmeans toward the second named means to retard movement of the pistonmeans, said piston means including a valve arranged to engage the secondnamed means upon engagement between'the piston means and said secondnamed means and openable upon its engagement with said second namedmeans to allow free flow of fluid through said piston means.

EDGAR W. BAGNELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,034,768 ONeill Mar. 24, 1936 2,092,062 Halliburton Sept. '7,1937 2,227,192 Losey, Jr. Dec. 31, 1940 2,489,397 Brummer Nov. 29, 1949

